Winning a Group 1 race has long been on the wishlist of veteran trainer Ken Keys but success on Saturday with Soul Patch (Shamus Award) in the Caulfield Guineas would mean a lot more than just another addition to the resume after what has been a difficult couple of months for the stable.
When Keys' apprentice Mikaela Claridge was killed in a trackwork accident after falling from one of his horses in late August, the bright lights of the spring carnival were the furthest things from Keys' mind.
The Cranbourne trainer was understandably devastated by the loss of the 22-year-old, who had been with the stable for five months, but felt the pressure to maintain strength as the entire stable dealt with the tragedy.
"You have to portray yourself as the tough one and the unaffected one, but there were a few times we had to hide around the corner. We've been holding up ok.
"You have to portray yourself as the tough one and the unaffected one, but there were a few times we had to hide around the corner. We've been holding up ok." - Ken Keys
"There's a bit of normality coming back now. Staffing has been affected with people needing time off and it’s changed a few things, but it will all get back on track in time. The world has to keep going, but it was a very tough period that's for sure."
Soul Patch was one of the reasons to get back to work each day.
Soul Patch as a yearling
Keys had tagged him as a Caulfield Guineas prospect off his maiden win in Ballarat in March, a race which subsequently produced five winners from the beaten brigade.
"That was a particularly strong maiden that day and the form out of it has been quite amazing," he said. "We put him away because we thought he was pretty immature. I've always thought with the Guineas, that it’s the one on the way up who does well, not the one who's already there.
"I thought if he was going to be a true spring horse. I'll start him off in that 1300 metre BM64 race at Sandown (on September 4). That race has got a really good history of good horses coming through it, because it suits everyone. He didn’t win, but he didn't do anything to displease us and then we thought, we’ll have a crack with him and head him towards the Guineas."
Having run second first-up, Keys still had to get the horse enough prizemoney to get in to the Caulfield Guineas and while initially thinking about sending him to the G3 Guineas Prelude, he instead opted for a 1400 metre BM64 midweek race at Flemington.
"We pulled the right rein, because he won. After winning that, we were keeping our fingers crossed to see whether we can get a run on Saturday."
Soul Patch squeezed into the field of 16 and as one of only four last-start winners engaged, is in the market at around $18.
Enuff for another shot
Having a contender in the Caulfield Guineas is nothing new for Keys, who had Rich Enuff (Written Tycoon) go in as an odds-on favourite four years ago. The powerful sprinter led all the way until the shadows of the post, when edged out by Shooting To Win (Northern Meteor).
"Rich Enuff was just power and strength and did what he wanted to do. Michael Rodd got criticised for how he was ridden in the Guineas, but he couldn’t have done any better. It was just the type of horse he was, he was just power," Keys said.
Rich Enuff | Standing at Woodside Park Stud
"This guy (Soul Patch) is a more relaxed dude, switches off, switches on and does what you ask of him. Certainly, he's got a better racing pattern than Rich Enuff."
The defeat in the 2014 Caulfield Guineas was the closest Keys has come to victory in 39 attempts at Group 1 races. He has had other Group 1 placings with Lester Thunderwing (Last Tycoon {Ire}) in the 2002 SA Derby and Like A Carousel (Helike {USA}) in the 2015 Sydney Cup.
It would be a thoroughly deserved success for a lifetime of training horses.
"It would be a great achievement. It would be fantastic, but if it happens, it happens and I'm not getting too far ahead of myself. I guess it would be a feather in the cap," he said.
Ken Keys
Like a lot of Keys' better horses, Soul Patch was purchased out of the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale, with the trainer paying $45,000 for him out of the draft of Armidale Stud.
"I've bought a lot of horses out of there for many, many years. I'm very confident buying horses out of Tasmania. Armidale Stud, where he has come from, is probably one of Australia's best growing studs," Keys said.
"I've bought a lot of horses out of there for many, many years. I'm very confident buying horses out of Tasmania.'' - Ken Keys
Keys said the colt, who is out of God Bless Us (Flying Spur), the half-sister to stakes-placed Angel Rose (Testa Rossa) from the family of Group 1 winner Ellicorsam (Fimiston), immediately appealed to him on inspection.
"He was just a nice horse visually and he was from a family that had winners. They were a decent family. The mare had only one to race before him, but I bought him mainly on type," he said.
So much did Keys like the look of the family that he went back to Launceston in February and purchased the younger half-brother by Street Boss (USA) for $95,000.
Street Boss (USA) | Standing at Darley
"That colt is not an early 2-year-old. He's a good type of horse. He's a bit colty at the moment, but we can fix that," Keys said.
From the time Keys began trialling Soul Patch around Christmas last year, he knew he was above average and having plotted his way to his spring target, he remains optimistic of his chances on Saturday, despite drawing barrier 14.
"The barrier has put a little bit of a dent in it but I don't know what the bottom of this horse is and that makes me pretty excited. I'd expect him to run well. I'd be surprised if he didn't," he said.
